New GM-Canada deal

[zete]

This article is interesting.

Tentative agreement will bring new transmission line to city.

Especially this statement:

Government officials say an agreement in principle for the $300-million to $400-million six-speed, rear-wheel drive transmission line was penned Friday between General Motors and the provincial and federal governments.

coupled with:

The automaker's $245-million investment to produce fuel-efficienttransmissions in St. Catharines hinged on receiving a combined $140 million from Queen's Park and Ottaw a for both the transmission line and a research centre planned for the company's Oshaw a plant.

Add to that the news that part of the deal has to do with a hybrid (or hybrids) being built in Oshawa and you wonder if we'll see hybrid Zetas coming out of Oshawa. I think we're actually going to see hybrid pickups coming out of Oshawa.

Of course, not much else is being said about the deal.

EDIT: According to the Globe and Mail it's a mid-size hybrid car!

Ottawa's deal with GM allows small reprieve from job cuts

And that can only mean it's a Zeta mid-size hybrid.

CONFIRMED: GM Canada - Industry Canada: Exchange of Letters. Official news from the feds. Note the following:

I am pleased to note, however, that GMCL has now agreed to invest an additional $290 million to manufacture 6-speed transmissions at St. Catharines, produce a hybrid variant of a mid-sized vehicle at the Oshawa Car Plant, and attract advanced environmental technology research and development projects through GMCL's Canadian Engineering Centre (CEC).
:
The production for the mid-sized car is scheduled to begin in October 2010, with hybrid production commencing in early 2011.

So, what is this new hybrid, mid-size car to be produced in Oshawa? Is it a mid-size Zeta? Has GM just been sandbagging re: RWD? Obviously it's not an existing car since production for the mid-sized car begins October 2010! If it was the current Impala, that's already being built. Did they shorten the Impala to improve fuel economy by saving weight and using RWD as a differentiator? Is this a Buick or a Cadillac or a Pontiac?

Things just keep getting more interesting.

[jmlee0695]

maybe the aura?

[jmlee0695]

wagoner said next saabbuilt in NA,maybe the 9-5?

[JT87]

My guess is the car that was slated for 2010 is the updated LaCrosse/Allure, and put on Flex, because it seems that the sets of Buick sedan spyshots we have seen show two different sized and styled cars (one EPII short sized, one comparable to the W-body). This, coupled with the line of FWD 6 speeds would make a strong case for this car to be FWD at least, and most likely a Buick.

[jmlee0695]

the malibus also coming out arounf this time

[neshapop]

Originally Posted by JT87

My guess is the car that was slated for 2010 is the updated LaCrosse/Allure, and put on Flex, because it seems that the sets of Buick sedan spyshots we have seen show two different sized and styled cars (one EPII short sized, one comparable to the W-body). This, coupled with the line of FWD 6 speeds would make a strong case for this car to be FWD at least, and most likely a Buick.

It makes sense to me, if new LaCrosse/Allure comes in 4 cyl/6 speed combo or mild hybrid option then I will get one when I get tired of my 3.8L old pushrod.

[jmlee0695]

it cant be lacrosse,it starts production early next year

[Joe in T.O.]

The other article said it is a front wheel drive transmission for hybrid cars in Oshawa - very interesting.

[zete]

Originally Posted by Joe in T.O.

The other article said it is a front wheel drive transmission for hybrid cars in Oshawa - very interesting.

The transmission is at another plant but I didn't read the transmission was for anything produced in Oshawa. Just because both are in Canada doesn't mean they're related.

[Joe in T.O.]

I read it here:
http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/A...0&auth=Matthew Van Dongen

[fp115]

Check the revised GM-CAW contract. You will see what car(s) they may be.

However this car hasn't yet been announced to the public.

[JT87]

Originally Posted by fp115

Check the revised GM-CAW contract. You will see what car(s) they may be.

However this car hasn't yet been announced to the public.

Thanks. Will have to take a look, and keep my eyes and ears open tonight at work.

[jmlee0695]

where are they?

[fp115]

Originally Posted by JT87

Thanks. Will have to take a look, and keep my eyes and ears open tonight at work.

If you hear something that starts with an E you are on the right track.

[zete]

Originally Posted by fp115

If you hear something that starts with an E you are on the right track.

An "E"?

Enclave.
Equinox.

Does GM have any other extant cars that start with "E"? And those are both crossovers, not cars...

Unless it all has to do with Epsilon II.